Packaging-machine.



H. Y. ARMSTRONG.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FSLED use m4 1,295,95 1 Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

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PACKAGING MACHiNE.

APPUCAHON FILED ELC, 4. 1914.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

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PACKAGWG MACHlNE.

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Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

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PACKAGJNG MACHINE.

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PACKAGING MACHINE.

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Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

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PACKAGmG MACHQNE.

APPucAnuN FILED 0504,19.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

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PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0c.4. 19x4.

Patented Ma1a4, 1919.

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PACKAGING MACHlNE.

APPucAnuN mu) DEC. 4' mm 1,295,95 1 Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

H. Y ARMSTRONG. FACKAGING MACHINE. MFUCATION mm UNI-1. 19m

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

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zacf flw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY YABRINGTON ARMSTRONG, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 PACKAGE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A GORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PACKAGING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

Application filed December 4, 1914. Serial No. 875,5?

tain new and useful Improvements in Pack aging-Machines, of which the following de scription. in connection with the accompanying drawings. is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

In the packaging of merchandise many different practices are followed, depending chiefly on the nature of the goods to be packaged, the tar-t; of the manufacturer and the delnands'fof toe trade. In some cases the merchandise is merely inclosed in a carton while, in other cases, the goods are first wrapped in an inner wrapper or carton lining and then inserted in a carton,- and in still other cases, the carton, whether lined or not. is wrapped in an outer wrapper which bears advel Easing matter or has some distinctive or decorative design. The present invention provides a machine that will package merchandise in any one of these ways, and which can be used for packaging either solid articles, such as prints of butter, or loose or granular material, such, for in stance, as tea or coffee.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of'the machine shown in F ig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3--3, Fig. 2;

Fig, 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line il, Fig. 1;

Fig. is,a sectional view showing certain parts of the mechanism for feeding the car ton dilanks:

Fig. (i is a sectiona'lview showing in elevation certain of the parts shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 7-7, Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an elevation partly in section of the carton'filling mechanism of the machine;

Fig. 9 is a central vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showin a slightly different form of carton filling mechanism;

Fig. IL is an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10;

Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive, are views of the gripper forming part of the carton feeding mechanism Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, are a. series of views of the carton folding mechanism showing successive steps in the operation of folding up and filling a carton;

Fig. :20 is an elevation partly in section of the mechanism for folding the outside Wrapper about the carton after it, has been filled and closed;

Fig. 21 is an elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 20 but lookint at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a sectional View on the plane indicated by the line 2 2-22, Fig. 21;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the magazine for the carton blanks;

Figs. 21 to 30, inclusive, are perspective views showing the successive steps in the op oration of forming up a carton and closing it: and

Figs. 81 to 37. inclusive, are perspective views showing ditlercnt steps in the operation oi wrapping the carbon in an outside \v/ra ppc r.

liricil v stated. the machine shown is designed to fold up together a carton and a carton lining t prepare the carton for the filling operation, then to till the carton, to fold down and glue the Hope of the carton, and finallv to wrap the carton in an outside wrapper. I

Referring now to the drawings, and part'icularly t Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 23, a magazine adapted to hold a stack of carton blanks is indicated at 2. These blanks. which are shown at B in Figs. 7 and 24, are of the character shown and described in Patent No.

1968,80), granted to Merrell and Amidon l y 29, 1913, but it will, of course, be understood that the invention is not limitedto use with a carton of this specific character. The carton blanks are fed" one at a time from .the bottom of the magazine and for the par-- uni pose of enabling the feeding mechanism to select only the bottommost blank, a suction cup or sucker 3 is mounted below the magazine 2 on an arm 4 that is pivoted to the machine frame. This cup is of the usual construction, generally made of rubber, so that, when pressed against the bottommost carton blank in the stack, and then moved away again, it will deflect this blank away from the other blanks in the stack. The necessary motion is given to the sucker 3 by means of a cam 5 arranged to operate a cam head 6 which is connected by means of a rod 7 to the sucker arm 4, the earn 5 being mounted fast on the main shaft 8 of the machine. This shaft. as shown in Fig. 2, is driven by means of a pair of bevel gears 9, a vertical shaft 10'and a clutch 11, one member of said clutch being driven through a worm 12 and a worm wheel 13 from a small electric motor 14 that furnishes power for the whole ma.- chine. The sucker 3 is arranged t engage the bottommost blank in the magazine 2 near its rear edge, and the magazine is so constructed (see Fig. 23) that it does not support the blanks near this edge and thus allows the sucker to bend the edge of the blank downwardly in the manner above de scribed.

The blank is moved. out from under the other blanks in the stack by a feeder 15 (see Figs. 2 and 5) which is mounted to reciprocatgpack and forth under the magazine on a pair of guides 16. Movement is imparted to the feeder by means of a lever 17 fulcrumed on a bracket projecting from the machine frame and connected with the feeder 15 by a link 18, this lever being driven by a cam 19 (see Fig. 1) and a connecting rod 20 operated by said cam and pivoted to the lever 17. The cam 19 is mounted on a cross shaft that is driven through bevel gears 35 from the main shaft 8. The feeder 15 carries a pair of fingers arranged one above the other with a space betweenthem. The upper finger 21 projects forward for a considerable distance in front of the feeder head and has a thin forward end, while the lower finger 22 is shorter and has its forward end curved away fromthe upper finger 21. These fingers are so positioned with reference to the bottom of the magazine that, as the feeder is moved. forward the upper finger will slide through the bottom of the magazine above the lowermost blank which has been bent into the position shown in Fig. 2 by means of the sucker 3 and the lower finger will slide under the blank so that the edge of the blank will be guided into the space between the fingers 21 and 22. The magazine, of course, is constructed to permit this movement, as indicated in Fig. 23. As the feeder continues its forward movement, the upper finger 21 raises the other blanks in the stack (see Fig. 4) and thus relieves the pressure on the lowermost blank at the same time that the feeder, by pressing against the rear edge of the blank forces its forward edge out of the front of the magazine and through the open end of a short delivery nozzle 24 that projects from the front of the ma azine. The feeder then retires to the bile ward limit of its stroke leaving the blank in its advanced position, as indicated. in Fig. 4.

The blank is delivered to the folding mechanism by means of a gripper 25 which is best shown in Figs. 4 and 12 to 15. This gripper comprises a pair of jaws mounted on a slide 26 and connected together by a pair of tog le links 27 which serve to open orelose t em. The slide 26 is carried by a cross head 28 mounted to reciprocate on a stationary guide 29 (see Fig. 7) and connected by means of a link 30 to a lever 31 (seeFi 4) that is operated by a connectingifi carrying a cam roll which runs in the o0 of a cam 33 mounted on a shaft 34. his 's the shaft that carries the cam 19, and is riven from the main shaft 8 by a pair of 'el gears indicated at 35, Fi 2. The cam --\and its connections wit the gripper 25 aredesi nod to move the gripper forward to the fen of the edge of the carton blank B that has e n advanced by the feeder 15. per has reached this point, the pivot that connects the two toggle links 27 and projects to one side of the gripper, strikes a sto 37 (see Figs. 5 and 13) that. is so cured to a stationary part of the machine, and straightens the toggle, thus closing the gripper indicated in Fig. 13, and causing it to grasp the edge of/the carton blank. The return movement of the gripper causes it to pull the blank out from under the other blanks in the magazine 2 and carry it to the wrapping mechanism. At this point another stop '38 mounted on the guide 29, strikes the pivot pin 36 and collapses the toggle, thus opening the gripper and cansing it to release the blank.

he lining for the carton preferably is fed to the wrapping mechanism superimposed on the carton blank. This lining is supplied in the form of a continuous strip of paper fed from the roll 40 (see Fig, 2) which is mounted to rotate slowly in bear iugs formed in a bracket 41 projectin from one side of the machine. The strip 0 paper is carried over a guide roller 42 also mounted in hearings in the bracket -11 and is then carried through a guide chute (see Figs. 2 and 5) that is supported at the front of the magazine 2 and merges at its lower end into the nozzle 24. When the grippers 25 move forward to grasp the carton blank 13 in the manner above described, they also nozzle or chute 24 in position to gra pkiie When the gr 4;

grasp the forward edge of the carton lining L and carry it forward to the wrapping mechanism with the blank. The lining strip is then cut off just in front of the nozzle 24 by a shear ll lulcrumed on the machine frame at 45 (see Fig. 6) and operated by a rod 46 which is moved up and down by means of a cam 47 fast on the main shaft 8. This shear cooperates with a stationary shearing blade 48 that lies just under the path of the carton blank and carton lining as they leave the nozzle 24. In order to prevent the strip of lining L from being drawn back by any reverse movement of the roll if) a stop 49 is pivoted in front of the shute 43 and held yieldingly in contact with the strip of paper as it feeds through the shute by means of a spring 50. This stop is provided with a rubber or leather end to bear against the paper, as usual in devices of this character, and its mounting is such. as will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 5, that it does not interfere with the forward movement of the lining strip but prevents any backward movement of it.

The carton blank audits lining now having been delivered to the folding mechanism. these parts are ready for the operation of the carton forming devices.

The initial carton folding or forming; op erations are performed by a mandrel 52 and a stationary die indicated as a whole by the numeral 53 and comprising four stationary members shown in Fig. 7 at a, 72. c and f]. These members are so placed that the leave between them a rectangular space the corners of which rectangle just meet the adacent corners of the members a, b, c and (I.

This rectangular space is the space in which the carton will he formed and is of substantially the same dimensions as the carton. The mandrel 52 is rectangular in crosssection through the part that enters the die but is provided with four wings S-i that, project from its four sides and are inclined inwardly from the bottom of the mandrel. 'l'xhesc wings are adapted to enter, respectively. the spaces between the adjacent sides of the members o 7;, c and (I of the die. The die 5 has a flat upper surface except wherc notches a" and d'" are formed in the mendiers I" and (7. respectively, to accommodate the flaps of the carton. The operative movement of the mandrel into and out oi the die is produced by a cam 56 (see Figs. 1 and mountcdion a shaft 58 at the head of the machine and which is driven by a pair of spiral gears one on the shaft 58 and the other on the vertical shaft in. The cam 56 has a cam way in which runs a cam roll mounted on one end of an arm Mlthat is fast on a horizontal rock sha lt o0. This rock shaft also carries another arm (H which is forked at its forward end shaft. 60 and this movement is transmitted through the lever 61 and links 62 to the mandrel 52, moving this mandrel up and down on the pair of stationary guide rods 63 at opposite sides of the mandrel.

The material to be packaged is introduced into the carton through the mandrel 52 which, for this purpose, is made hollow. If the material to be packaged is of a granular nature. as for instance, coffee, it preferably is introduced into a hollow plunger 65 mounted to telescope Within the mandrel and having a tube 66 (sec Fi 9) )rojectingupwardly from one side t rough a slot 67 formed in the side of the mandrel 52. The charges of material to be packaged are introduced one at a time through this tube which may be connected to a weighing or measuring mechanism of any convenient type so that each charge will be weighed or measured before bein delivered to the mandrel for pacltagin Tf solid material is being packaged, as for instance, prints of butter. a hollow plunger also is used working within the mandrel, but in the latter case the plunger has an open side. In either construction it is necessary to move the plunger up and down independently of the mandrel 52, and for this purpose the plunger is connccted to a rod 68 (Fig. 10) mounted to move vertically in suitable guides and driven by a cam 69 fast on the shaft 58.

An ejecting plunger 70 also is mounted within the hollow plunger 65 and has just enough clearance within the walls of the plunger 65 to permit it to move freely while still enabling it to eject from the hollow plunger the entire charge of material that it contains. This ejector 70 is fast on the lower end of the rod 71 which is moved up and down by a cam 72 that rotates with the shaft 58. i

When the machine is intended to package material in the form of a brick or cake a mandrel of modified construction is used, This construction is shown il Figs. 10 and 11 from which it will be seen that this form of mandrel is provided with a hinged side 52 which is arranged to swing from a closed position in which it forms, to all in tents and purposes, an integral part of the mandrel, to an open position in which it is shown in Fig. 11 where it permits the introduction into the mandrd of the article to be packaged. The movement of this hinged member 52 is eft'ected by means of a link 74 pivotally connected to the mandrel 52 and also connected to an arm 75 projecting from and fast on a shaft 76 that is operated by miter gear conm-ctions with the shaft 77 which, in turn, is driven by a Slide up and miter gear 78 and a sector 79 having an arm carrying a roll that runs in the cam track of a cam 80 fast on the shaft 58. This cam track is designed to oscillate the sector 79 which, through the bevel gear 78 and shaft 77 and its connections with the hinged member 52' of the mandrel. opens and closes this mandrel at the proper times in the cycle of operation of the machine. The shaft 77 is keyed to but can slide through the gear 78 as the mandrel moves up and down. When this construction of mandrel is used, the hollow plunger 65 within themandrel also is cut away on one side to provide an opening corresponding to and registering with the opening in the mandrel so that an article placed between the guides 81 and on the feeder 82 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 7) will be fed into the mandrel and into the hollow plunger (35 through the openings in the sides of these two members. The door 52 then begins to close, thus holding the article in the mandrel while the feeder 82 Withdraws. The feeder has an apron, or floor, that slides under the mandrel and prevents the article from dropping out of the mandrel until the door has completely closed, and pinches the article against the opposite inner wall of the-plunger with sufficient force to keep it from dropping out of the plunger. The mandrel then is in condition to perform its functions as a part. of the carton folding mechanisn'i.

The feeder 82 is carried by a crosshead that rceiprocates on a pair of horizontal gpides 84 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 7). movement .ing imparted to this cross-head by means of a lever 85 connected b a link 86 to the cross-head and operated by a cam 87 that rotates with the main shaft 8.

Both the mandrel 52 and the hollow plunger 65 are open at the bottom for the purpose of facilitating the introduction of the charge of material in the plunger into the carton. In order to hold this charge in the hollow plunger until it is desired to discharge it and also for the purpose of holding the carton blank and its lining properly for the preliminary folding operations. another plunger 90 (see Figs. 3. 4 and 7) is arranged below the mandrel and consists of a flat head secured on the upper ends of two rods 91 which are mounted in suitable guideways formed in down. The movements of the plunger necessary to enable it to.co'ciperate with the mandrel in the manner above indicated are produced by a cam 92 (see Fig. 2)

' fast onthe shaft 8. this cam being arranged to operate a rod 93 connected with one end of a lever 94. the other end of which is connected by a air of links 95 to a cross-head 96 that carries both of the rods 91.

The movements of the plunger 90 are so timed with reference to the movement of the machine frame to the other parts above described that, when the carton blank and its lining have been delivered in position for the operation of the folding mechanism, the plunger 90 comes a) through the die 53. picks up the carton b ank and its linin and carries them up and presses them firmfiv against the bottom of the mandrel and the hollow plunger (35. Figs. 8 and 9 show the parts in the positions just described. If granular material is to be packaged the charge is delivered to the mandrel at this time. If a solid article is to be packaged it is delivered to the mandrel and the door 52 is closed before the plunger 90 reaches the mandrel. The ejecting plunger 70 settles or compresses the charge if the material is loose, and the members 52. 65. 70 and 90 then descend together carrying the carton blank and carton lining down into the folding die 53 into the position shown in Fig. 16. thus folding the carton blank and its lining up into the shape illustrated in Fig. The corners of the parts a. b, c and d of the die 53 coiiperatc with the respective reentrant angles formed by each pair of adjacent end faces of the wings 5i to make the folds indicated at a. I). r" and d in Fig. 25 While the outer inclined faces of the wings 54 shape the sides of the carton as indicated at e, f, g and h.

In the space between the blocks 11 and c an end folder 98 is mounted to swing from an inclined position into substantially a vertical position and in the spa e between the 100 parts a and d. another end folder D9 is mounted for a similar swinging movement. These folders each consists of a bell crank lever swinging on a stationary fulcrum positioned just below the folding die 53 and they are connected by links lot) and 101. respectively. to the opposite cndsol' an arm 102 Figs. 3 and i) that is fixed to and projects at equal distances from the opposite sides of a rock shaft lllll. Another arm 10 fixed toJhis shaft, is pivoted to a rod 105 that is operated by a cam we (see Fig. 1) on the shaft 2H. When the folders 98 and 99 are operated by the connect ions just described to swing them into their vertical positions. they fold the ends 1 and h of the carton shown in Fig. 25 up into the positions in which these parts are shown in Fig. 26. This folding operation begins as soon as the mandrel 52 starts to withdraw or rise out of the die 53. which motion takes place immediately after the mandrel has reached the lower limit of its stroke. The plunger 90 at this time has reached the lower limit of its stroke where it remains until the carton has been filled and ejected from the die. 'While the mandrel 52 is rising, the hollow plunger 3 and the ejector 70 remain stationary. the plunger serving as a form about which the carton is folded up. I Since the Wall of this plunger is very thin, it does not make the carton substantially larger than is required for the charge to be {)zlCiiLgP-l.

he ends and ii of the carton having been folded up, it is next necessary to fold. up the sides c and y of the carton. The side 5;- is folded by means of a swinging folder 108 (see Fig. 3) piroted jusLhelow the folding the and lying between the mexnhers o and of. This folder has an extension projecting below its pivot and a spring 109 connected to this extension and to a station-- ary part of the machine, tends to hold the folder in an upright position. It is forced out of this position upon the descent of the mandrel into the die by one of the wings 54, but as soon as the mandrel begins to rise, the spring 109 starts to swing the folder 108 up into its vertical iosition and ultimately folds the side r) of the carton up into the position shown in Figs.

The side 1 of the, carton is folded up by means of a plunger .110 that is mounted to slide horizontally from a position at. the left of the die, as the parts are seen in Figs. 3 and 7. through the die and to a considerable distance past the die. This plunger consists of a vertical plate mounted in the forward end of a plunger rod 111, which is secured to the cross head 82. forim mg part ot the article i'cctl ng devices and operating in the manner i The forward movement of this plunger 110 from the position shown in Fig. 17 to that shown in Fig. 18 folds the flap a up against the side of the hollow plunger (35 or against the side of the article being packaged if that article is in the form of a cake. (See Fig. 27.) The bottom and four sides of the carton are now folded up in their final form, thus preparing the carton for filling. At this point, the hollow plunger is raised, the ejector 70, however, remaining at the lower limit of its stroke until the bottom of the hollow plunger becomes substantially flush with it, thus forcing into the carton the material which, up to this point; has been contained in the hollow plunger. Both the hollow plunger and the ejector then return to their upper positions in readiness to receive another charge oi material. a

The plunger lIt pauses in its movement during the withdrawal ot the hollow plunger as but when this withdrawal movement has been completed. the plunger 110 again moves forward, pushing the carton just filled out of the die and over the folder 108 which yields or folds down to permit this movement. This plunger has pivoted to its rear ward side a tucker (UllSlStlllfl of a bell crank lever having at one end a. lip 115 adapted to swing over the top of the plunger 110 and at its opposite end a roll 116 that runs,

17 and 26..

ve described.

during the first part of the stroke of the plunger. in a groove 117 (see Figs. 3 and 19) formed in the parts over which the plunger slides. The weight of this tucker is so disposed with reference to its pivot that, so long as the roll 116 is in the groove 117, the tut-arr is held in its inoperative 0r tilted hack position. tends only part way along the path of travel of the plunger and, when the roll arrives at. the end of the groove, it swings the tucker forward over the top of the plunger 110 and lays down the flap e that projects up above the sides of the carton. The carton then in the condition shown in Fig. 28. The tucker holds the flap 6' in t.h1s position until after the top 7' of the carbon has come in contact with the stationary folder 118 (see Figs. 3, 7 and 19), which folds the top of the carton Hat on the top of the package andover the flap e. The tucker iii? moves back into its inoperative position just as the flap j comes in contact with it. The carton now is in the condition shown in Fig. 29, all the folds being completed except the two end flaps}? which pro- ;ect horizontally from the top of the package. The folder 118 lies across the channel through which the package is moved and the parts forming the walls of this channel and is pivoted as shown in l igs. 7 and 19, so that it can yield upwardly as the fla j strikes it. A pair of springs'119, encircling small rods that project through the folder, hear on it and resist its upward movement.

The end flaps .l'. are foired to slide across the tops of a pair of glue applying; rollers 12o mounted one at each side of the channel throug h which the carton passes and under the stationz-iry folding plate 118. A strip of blue has already been applied to the upper edge of the flap j as indicated at m, Fig. 24, by means of a glue applying; roller 122 {see Figs. 5, 6 and 7) mounted at the side of the nozzle 24 through which the carton hlank is dragged on its way to the folding mechanism, the lining being narrower than the blank. as shown in Fig. 24, to permit. this operation. Accordingly, when the flap j is folded down over the flap 6', this strip of glue will seal these two flaps together.

As the carton is pushed out. from under the stationarv folder 118, the Ii engage stationary inclined folders 123 mounted, respectively, at opposite sides of the miideway or channel, and these folders turn down both end flaps of the carton and complete the folding of the carton, the glue previously applied to the flaps serving to secure them to the ends of the carton. The canon is then in the condition shown in Fig. 80.

The plunger 110 leaves the carton whenit has moved the carton past the glue wheels This groove, however, ex- 

